Martin O’Neill has reiterated his determination to transform Sunderland into a
genuine force in the Barclays Premier League “by hook or by crook”, with the
manager insisting that his ambition and drive remain as fierce as ever
despite his team’s patchy form.

Sunderland have won only one of their past 17 league fixtures - including
eight games from last season - and, perhaps more distressingly, have
laboured in attack. No team in the top four divisions have scored fewer than
their six goals.

It has not been a formula to nourish the ebullience that greeted O’Neill’s
appointment 11 months ago, but the